We left Vis early to get the first ferry to Split, Croatia’s second city and a major port on the northern Dalmatian coast. Two of Takeoff would have the whole day to explore before our drive up the Istria region.
Once we arrived, we made our way to the Airbnb. We grabbed some espresso at the café in front of our building, which was conveniently located on the Riva promenade, a stretch of the city home to lively restaurants and nightlife for tourists and locals alike. Charged and refueled, we set out for the day to discover the city.
Split is built on top of the Roman emperor Diocletian’s palace, who used it as a summer getaway. Much of the palace is still intact and can be toured, though often you’ll find yourself dipping in between modern shops that were built next to the notable historical sites. We visited the palace cellars, cathedral, arcade and impressive gate entrance. Outside the palace, we grabbed a quick lunch along the palace walls.
With our afternoon open, we opted to spend our time hiking the adjacent park/mountain, Park Marjan. We found beautiful vistas overlooking the city, palace and Adriatic sea. As we twisted and turned around the well-trodden hiking paths, we reflected on our time on the Dalmatian coast and discussed our plans for the coming days.
On our way back to the Airbnb, we grabbed provisions for the evening. After bountiful wine on the islands, Maggie suggested we mix things up and do a Croatian beer tasting while getting ready for dinner. We picked up four options from The Garden Brewery, based in Zagreb, the Croatian capital city. Delicious!
Knowing that we had a couple big dinners coming up (more about this in a later post), we found a casual pizza place up the street for dinner. Afterwards, we sauntered back to the palace to find a cozy place to post up for the evening. We let our ears guide us as live music filled the warm summer air. We danced at a summer concert series, where Sinatra’s “New York, New York” played and brought us back home for a few moments. From there, we went to the palace arcade, which was busy with evening revelers. A guitarist-singer duo remixed recognizable classics while bussers hurriedly brought drinks to eager listeners scattered around the ancient Roman walls. Maggie and I sipped on Ožujsko and people watched as some dancing broke out.
With an early morning and long drive ahead of us the next day, we retired a little early. Next up, Plitvice lakes and Rovinj!
Patrick this post was shared with G’ma on her birthday with her granddaughter Lori Landthorn who was over visiting. They loved the city of Split and the old temple of Diocletian. G’ma turns 95 today – hooray !!
Mike, Grandma Rita, & Lori
Happy birthday Grandma Rita!
Let’s have some of that Croation beer together!
Might be a hunt to find them but I’m game
I can close my eyes and see the sights, pretend to taste the spirits and food, hear the sounds of laughter, smell the air and my heart swells for both of you.